There may be thousands of views but it is likely the same people checking in and non-members viewing.

Hard pressed to believe that there are more than 50 regular posters. I think perhaps that your expectations of how much this forum/group can help out are too high.

I feel for you and your situation but I think you should be working on a different plan. $60000 from this method will not happen especially with this forum seeming to be your major support so far.

My prayers are with you. I chose a career in the music business and long ago I came to a conclusion - there is no money in it especially from writing. Countless others doing the same thing and the internet created millions more. But I chose my path. Without a means to sell your writings, it was a hobby. Sorry if that sounds cold but it is the truth. When I worked in radio, there was an endless supply of "volunteers" who would tell me that they worked in radio. Only a job if you get paid. The industry uses them and then spits them out.

I think that this forum may provide more help with peoples' ideas and experiences than financial gains. It seems that you are getting angry with the results from this forum. I am sure that your situation is causing those emotions. But don't think anyone here wishes you anything but the best. Remember that most views are by non-members and the ones left posting are fewer in number than you may think.

Nearly 1700 views, and just over 1200 dollars sounds generous to me as people are going to return to the thread to see what happened. I think the amount you are asking for is unrealistic for this forum. Unrealistic without national support. I've seen local children with brain tumors and cancer patients have to work really hard to raise less than half that.

If $20 is the average donation, you need 3,000 donations. Which means you may need to reach hundreds of thousands of people. Your time is better spent working on a marketing campaign, IMO. Not getting frustrated with this little old forum.

I am sorry for all you have endured, and continue to endure. May you find peace and support.

Regarding help with transportation, Baltimore has a mobility program for people who need help getting around. Worth looking in to, I've known people who were very happy with similar programs in other East coast cities.

quote:Nearly 1700 views, and just over 1200 dollars sounds generous to me as people are going to return to the thread to see what happened. I think the amount you are asking for is unrealistic for this forum. Unrealistic without national support. I've seen local children with brain tumors and cancer patients have to work really hard to raise less than half that.

If $20 is the average donation, you need 3,000 donations. Which means you may need to reach hundreds of thousands of people. Your time is better spent working on a marketing campaign, IMO. Not getting frustrated with this little old forum.

I am sorry for all you have endured, and continue to endure. May you find peace and support.

[Edited on 4/2/2017 by WaitinForRain]

I was not frustrated with this forum and everyone has been kind. I was frustrated when I saw the thousands of views compared to help. And the 3 new donations only happened when I just went on since Saturday night (last night) until that there was NO activity for days now. And my concern was with everything, not this forum as I have reposted my GoFundMe in MANY places repeatedly mostly on my FOUR Facebook pages, not just here.

This thread and forum is not the only place I have posted this and appealed. I have repeatedly posted my GoFundMe and info. on my Regular Facebook Page, My 2nd Facebook Journalism Page where much of my writing and clips of my journalism work is posted, and on a 3rd and 4th Facebook pages that I run, which is a Facebook page that I run for actor Jean Reno who I have interviewed and has alot of fans, and on my Facebook page that I run for the Detective TV series "Jo" which Jean Reno stars in that has alot of fans. I also have appealed to both my personal friends and my business friends, and people in the local and national music, film, and arts industry who I have repeatedly interviewed, covered, reviewed, and supported and helped earn a living or helped to make their CD, live music, records, books, films, artwork, photography sell.

*****Also, I NEVER counted on my writing to pay any bills or support me, and on my GoFundME I did INFORM EVERYONE that I until I became Disabled, I only wrote part time AROUND my FULL TIME REGULAR DAY JOBS at medical offices, and real estate and mortgage firms. None of these jobs paid a decent living or a livable wage, (I have never been paid more than $12 an hour and usually $9-$10 an hour for corporate office jobs that I was skilled in including being a paralegal and a contract administrator, most of my jobs had NO health benefits, and MOST made me work UNPAID overtime and also OFF THE CLOCK, often also doing personal errands for my bosses using my car and on my personal time and dime all for which I did NOT get paid, (and which is illegal but if I said anything my employers would threaten to fire me so I kept my mouth shut). Most of my jobs REQUIRED a college degree which I have, but never paid a livable wage which is WHY I only ever rented rooms all my life (except for ONE year in 1989 when I rented a one room efficiency which I could not afford).

I want to thank everyone on this forum who has supported my writing, offered encouragement throughout the years, and also are helping and donating during this crisis. God Bless you all :-)

quote:Nearly 1700 views, and just over 1200 dollars sounds generous to me as people are going to return to the thread to see what happened. I think the amount you are asking for is unrealistic for this forum. Unrealistic without national support. I've seen local children with brain tumors and cancer patients have to work really hard to raise less than half that.

If $20 is the average donation, you need 3,000 donations. Which means you may need to reach hundreds of thousands of people. Your time is better spent working on a marketing campaign, IMO. Not getting frustrated with this little old forum.

I am sorry for all you have endured, and continue to endure. May you find peace and support.

What I am saying is if we can elevate you out of your usual circles your FB pages will get hits and you will get more support. It would be great if someone with a wider audience would include your GFM posts. Having 4 fb accounts is not the same as having 4 very active FB accounts. Or even 1. It would be great even if something could land on Rolling Stone or another national outlet.

quote:What I am saying is if we can elevate you out of your usual circles your FB pages will get hits and you will get more support. It would be great if someone with a wider audience would include your GFM posts. Having 4 fb accounts is not the same as having 4 very active FB accounts. Or even 1. It would be great even if something could land on Rolling Stone or another national outlet.

You need more exposure. Just sayin'

Peace Out.

Thank you I have thought of that as well. I have continuously and repeatedly called and emailed and also contacted via Social Media all of my local news stations, newspapers, human interest community affairs reporters, and even The Today Show and Oprah who do special things such as this, but NONE of them have answered me.

None of them will likely get back to you. As sad as your situation is and I hope you find answers, there are many far worse off by comparison in every city. Sad but true.

When I worked media, these types of requests for help were a constant. Some real and some cons but a steady flow regardless. Without kids/illness involved or some "feel good" angle, they won't touch it. Even churches would be hard pressed to help much as the demand upon them is usually large and they will usually help the hungry with children first.

quote:None of them will likely get back to you. As sad as your situation is and I hope you find answers, there are many far worse off by comparison in every city. Sad but true.

When I worked media, these types of requests for help were a constant. Some real and some cons but a steady flow regardless. Without kids/illness involved or some "feel good" angle, they won't touch it. Even churches would be hard pressed to help much as the demand upon them is usually large and they will usually help the hungry with children first.

But a church may also provide some assistance on where to get help.

Actually that "feel good" angle or the people with children or sick is not usually the case. I had posted earlier on here that July 2016 the entire community of Historic Ellicott City, Maryland (about 20 minutes from me) suffered a catastrophic flood. 2 people DIED. All of the shop owners and restaurant owners LIVED over top of their businesses. They all lost EVERYTHING, their homes, their businesses, their cars, their pets. It was all over the NATIONAL news many times and showed these people hysterical in tears as the county council man and disaster relief crews brought the home/business owners in one by one to view the devastation. One lady literally collapsed and fainted when she saw a giant tree and a mudslide through her shop and home. Yet ALL of these people set up GoFundMe's and barely made a dime. No one cared or gave a crap and these people truly lost everything that they worked hard all of their lives for and were lucky to get out with their lives.

Yet Toya Graham, a self admitted ex-con, recovering drug addict, mother of SIX, whose son has been in and out of major trouble with the law himself, she is the mother whose criminal teen son was a part of and involved with the April 2015 Baltimore riots torching Baltimore and attacking police officers, she was filmed on the local news just slapping her kid during the riots, and in 24 hours she was called a "Hero" mom and on The Today Show, Oprah, Good Morning America and people set up a GoFundMe that raised almost a hundred thousand dollars for her (for slapping her criminal son on camera), Oprah bought her a minivan, she was PAID for all of her media appearances. Then April 2016 she was all over the local news saying she had blown through the entire $100,000 (like a lottery winner that has no common sense on a spending spree). And in October 2016 she set up a SECOND GoFundMe and is now up to nearly $85,000. And people just keep giving her hundreds of thousands. Sorry but I do NOT get how people can give her almost TWO hundred thousand in TWO GoFundMes for slapping her thug kid yet people won't help the home/business owners of Ellicott City who lost EVERYTHING they worked for all their lives for in a catastophic flood and FEMA won't cover most of what they lost.

The cult of celebrity rules large in America just like people buy and pay for the wares of Kim Kardashian, or Paris Hilton and make them millionaires and yet very talented artists, singers, actors, etc with talent struggle to get recognized and wait tables or bar tend just to pay the rent. Idiotic!

That example brings in race and Oprah so I wouldn't use it as a guideline. The amount of people exposed to the story is in the tens of millions. 1% kicks in a donation and it is big bucks.

On a local level, that is where kids and extreme cases get reaction. Sad fact but there are many that are far worse off than your situation. I wouldn't waste your time there.

Beyond friends and family, immediate help is a tough thing. Unless as suggested you find greater exposure than the Fundme deal will come up way short of your desires. Even with exposure, I think you will be let down.

I would be actively seeking other means of aid.

We have ParaTranspo here to help with people such as yourself to get around. I imagine that you have something similar. Not ideal compared to driving yourself but will get you there. Perhaps such a thing does not exist but that would surprise me.

Waiting for an artist that you interviewed to pony up is not going to happen unless they are a friend. They are interviewed by hundreds of people and even more photographers. The artist, management and definitely label will do nothing. Look at the ABB for an example. Butch was in serious financial troubles that could have been solved by a series of shows. Obviously the offer to help was not there. That is after playing together for almost 50 years. Don't think that they will view unpublished interviews (or any interview) as a career builder nor a reason to donate. Again sad for you but the truth.

That example brings in race and Oprah so I wouldn't use it as a guideline. The amount of people exposed to the story is in the tens of millions. 1% kicks in a donation and it is big bucks.

On a local level, that is where kids and extreme cases get reaction. Sad fact but there are many that are far worse off than your situation. I wouldn't waste your time there.

Beyond friends and family, immediate help is a tough thing. Unless as suggested you find greater exposure than the Fundme deal will come up way short of your desires. Even with exposure, I think you will be let down.

I would be actively seeking other means of aid.

We have ParaTranspo here to help with people such as yourself to get around. I imagine that you have something similar. Not ideal compared to driving yourself but will get you there. Perhaps such a thing does not exist but that would surprise me.

Waiting for an artist that you interviewed to pony up is not going to happen unless they are a friend. They are interviewed by hundreds of people and even more photographers. The artist, management and definitely label will do nothing. Look at the ABB for an example. Butch was in serious financial troubles that could have been solved by a series of shows. Obviously the offer to help was not there. That is after playing together for almost 50 years. Don't think that they will view unpublished interviews (or any interview) as a career builder nor a reason to donate. Again sad for you but the truth.

Hope that your luck/situation improves.

[Edited on 4/5/2017 by CanadianMule]

Thank you for your kind words.

All of my interviews were indeed published, several as Cover Stories and only Guitar International went out of business. One of my interviews with Derek Trucks is still published on Guitar.com and the others were hard copy print published in Vintage Guitar Magazine as Cover Stories over a decade ago.

I think what happened with Butch was terrible and unacceptable that things got so bad and he became so distraught and no where to turn that he thought he had to resort to what he did.

But many times artists DO help. Britain's Classic Rock Magazine went out of business around Thanksgiving 2016 and all of the staff writers lost their jobs and they posted a farewell and thank you on their Facebook about how they all were left "redundant" British speak for unemployed at the holidays no less. Well, a ton of international music artists that had been positively reviewed, interviewed, and covered through the years held a benefit fundraiser which they promoted all over Facebook to raise enough funds to at least pay all of the laid off writers through the holidays so they could pay their rent/mortgage bills, and feed their families etc. It got so much Social Media attention that at the final hour, a new publishing company BOUGHT Classic Rock and they are now still going and everyone got to keep their jobs after all.

Some artists have a conscience after all and remember who helped them, promoted them and their work, and buttered their bread so to speak, when the artists were struggling or when these artists wanted their CD's, concert tours, films, books, etc to sell and make money.

Popular blog writer Harry Knowles from the one time successful and powerful film website Ain't It Cool News wound up a year or so ago with of all things like a $100,000 tax bill for not paying his IRS back taxes, and some actors, screenwriters, directors actually paid his back taxes for him (it was all over the entertainment news).

I even remember seeing some music artist on Facebook some years back I can't remember who, posting on his Facebook page asking all of his fans on his Facebook to buy a cookbook, written by the WIFE of his bass player, she was an unpublished new writer and it was her very first book his bass player's WIFE's very first book, and the music artist posted her Facebook on HIS Facebook and everyone ran to the site to buy her cookbook. And another guitar player I remember on Facebook posted his REALTOR'S Facebook page on his site and asked people to use that realtor's services. So I actually see this stuff all the time.

Like I said some artists do have a conscience and scratch the back of those that help them. It's not uncommon at all. Guess it's a matter of right place right time or fate or the stars, whatever.

I want to again THANK again very much EVERYONE who has donated. However, I just want to note that all donations are voluntary on the part of those who elect on their own to donate.

I have received some donations from strangers that I do not know who have also sent me inappropriate communications/emails. If you want to help that is great, but if you are not a friend of mine, or you are not someone that I already know personally or professionally, and you are a stranger who chooses to donate with expectations of obligating me to any type of relationship or communication, then please do not donate.

This will also prevent any strangers who are thinking of donating from having any personal or professional expectations on my part (which is NOT what a fundraiser is for) or of feeling misled on their part and if they do choose to donate, I must write a DISCLAIMER that for strangers who donate, this is their only and final interaction with this fundraiser and with me.

From now on I will be carefully screening, FOR MY SAFETY, ALL emails to me on this fundraiser and ALL emails and comments on ALL social media and the internet that stems from this fundraiser. Thank you for your understanding in this business matter. Arlene Weiss

quote:I read through this and if true, I wish you the best. But "FOR MY SAFETY"?

I guess I don't understand what you aren't safe from. You initiated it.

No, someone I don't know who donated on their own started emailing me repeatedly and making me feel uncomfortable by some of the things they said and wanted. Idiot me responded (which I should not have done and now I know better as I have never had a GoFundMe and did not listen to my instincts as they say not to talk to strangers offline and now I have a troll that won't stop and keeps emailing me more and getting very hostile.

There are stalkers everywhere Arlene, they are predators, you have to protect yourself as best you can, trust your instinct, when your gut tells you it isn't right, DO NOT SECOND GUESS YOUR INSTINCT. I could tell ya tales.....

____________________"Mankind is a single nation" "Allah did not make you a single people so he could try you in what he gave you, to him you will all return, he will inform you where you differed". Quran Chapter 2 Sura 213

quote:I read through this and if true, I wish you the best. But "FOR MY SAFETY"?

I guess I don't understand what you aren't safe from. You initiated it.

No, someone I don't know who donated on their own started emailing me repeatedly and making me feel uncomfortable by some of the things they said and wanted. Idiot me responded (which I should not have done and now I know better as I have never had a GoFundMe and did not listen to my instincts as they say not to talk to strangers offline and now I have a troll that won't stop and keeps emailing me more and getting very hostile.

Happy Sunday everyone! Just a kind reminder folks IF you can make a donation, anything even $5 it all helps and is very kindly appreciated. Thank you and have an awesome weekend. Much love and thanks to EVERYONE! :-) If you like any of my interviews and reviews that I have reposted on the ABB or that are on my Facebook page, please Donate and help me out. Thank you for your kind support. :-)

Happy Easter everyone! Just a kind reminder folks IF you can make a donation, anything even $5 it all helps and is very kindly appreciated. Thank you and have an blessed holiday. Much love and thanks to EVERYONE! :-)

Everyone I don't have any living family and I have many serious physical health disabilities. Please, I appreciate anything you can Donate or spare, I see you all donate regularly to other folks kickstarters when they assemble books of interviews/photos/articles.

I'm not asking to assemble a book, many of my interviews are on the forum for FREE especially if you click on my name.

If you appreciate my interviews, then, PLEASE KINDLY MAKE A DONATION to help me in my dire circumstances and emergency situation. All I need is enough funds to get a very small compact economy car something like a Nissan Versa or a Toyota Yaris. I have posted many of my interviews and reviews and articles through the years on here, most that I did NOT get paid for while I was still working full time regular day jobs. But now I'm Disabled and so I'm retired. PLEASE DONATE and help me please.

Everyone I don't have any living family and I have many serious physical health disabilities. Please, I appreciate anything you can Donate or spare, I see you all donate regularly to other folks kickstarters when they assemble books of interviews/photos/articles.

I'm not asking to assemble a book, many of my interviews are on the forum for FREE especially if you click on my name.

If you appreciate my interviews, then, PLEASE KINDLY MAKE A DONATION to help me in my dire circumstances and emergency situation. All I need is enough funds to get a very small compact economy car something like a Nissan Versa or a Toyota Yaris. I have posted many of my interviews and reviews and articles through the years on here, most that I did NOT get paid for while I was still working full time regular day jobs. But now I'm Disabled and so I'm retired. PLEASE DONATE and help me please.

Arlene, many of us are having some personal crises and drama, which is why more have not responded yet. Don't lost faith, or give up hope. People just don't want to come out and say how bad they have it. (myself included). Sometimes all that is getting people thru is the music and their faith. It is not that they don't care. Those who overcome have the belief that something in them is superior to their circumstances. You have to start believing that too.

____________________"Mankind is a single nation" "Allah did not make you a single people so he could try you in what he gave you, to him you will all return, he will inform you where you differed". Quran Chapter 2 Sura 213

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